Misinformation
by socchan
Summary: ‘To Mister Eriol Hiiragizawa and company: In three days I will collect the Ruby Moon. Kaitou Kid.’ A CCS MK crossover.


Hiiragizawa Eriol looked up from his book when he detected Kaho's movement. "What are you up to, Kaho?" he asked softly, a fond smile tracing his lips.

Kaho smiled back, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "We have a visitor coming."

Eriol blinked in surprise. "So soon? But I thought we had…" He trailed off, slightly embarrassed, and glanced at the clock. "Well. How much time to we have left, then?"

Kaho's smile widened. "About enough time for you to get some tea started."

Eriol chuckled, and got to his feet to prepare refreshments.

Gadfly Productions is Proud to Present

A CardCaptor Sakura/Magic Kaito Crossover

Misinformation

By socchan

Humming tunelessly (but not out of tune), Kaitou Kid waltzed up the driveway of a rather large, elegant house. Kid had never been to England before. His father had, but that was a different matter. He was starting to think he might like it, despite the bad impression he'd gotten of its country folk. It was poor taste to judge a nation by a single citizen, after all.

At the door Kid ruffled through the mailbag at his side for items addressed to Hiiragizawa Eriol, Mizuki Kaho or Akizuki Nakuru; disguising himself as a post officer had been a stroke of genius. Holding the mail in one hand (letters, junk mail, bills and one hand written note sans return address), he reached for the mailbox with the other. He was rather surprised when it was stopped by another hand not his own.

"Hello," a warm female voice said. Kid turned to see a smiling woman with bright amber eyes and long red hair. "Or perhaps I should say," she continued, switching fluently to Japanese, "good afternoon. Mind if I take this?" Kid shook his head numbly as the woman reached for the mail he still held. "Thank you."

Resting the stack of letters against the arm still securing the thief, the woman flipped deftly through them. She stopped when she came to the note. "This looks interesting." Her lips curved up as she began to read aloud. " 'To Mister Eriol Hiiragizawa and company: In three days I will collect the Ruby Moon. Kaitou Kid.'" The woman raised an eyebrow and looked Kid over. "I think you'd better come with me."

Kid swallowed hard and stepped through the extravagant doorway. The woman released his wrist and allowed the door to close behind them. Flashing him a quick smile, she began walking down the hallway.

Kid watched her curiously as he followed her. Her body language wasn't normal. Each step seemed to have been calculated in advance, every movement estimated. She walked almost as if she knew what was going to happen before it happened. It made Kid nervous, and for the first time on his trip he began to seriously reconsider coming.

In very little time the two of them reached a large sitting room. The woman gestured to a chair. "Please, make yourself comfortable." Kid nervously took a seat.

A door swung open on the other side of the room and a young man entered. He had short black hair and dark eyes framed by wide rimmed glasses. Balanced in front of him was an ornate tray laden with a tea service. "Good afternoon," he said in perfect Japanese, "My name is Hiiragizawa Eriol. This is Mizuki Kaho." Kaho bowed slightly, and Eriol set the tray on a table in front of Kid before taking a seat himself. "May I ask who you are?"

"International Thief 1412," Kid answered without meaning to, and frowned as he continued to speak. "Known in Japan as Kaitou Kid."

"Ah," Eriol said, and Kid was grateful for the interruption; had he been allowed to continue, he feared he would have identified himself with his real name. "It's nice to meet you, Kid-san." Eriol lifted the teapot from the tray. "Tea?"

"Yes, please," Kid replied, now quite worried over the lack of control he had over his vocal cords. He didn't know much about magic of the supernatural sort, but he was beginning to think meeting Eriol's eyes had been a mistake.

"Pleased though we are by your visit, I sense there is a story behind it." Kaho told him. "I, for one, would be very interested in hearing it."

Kid could see no way out of it. "Very well."

Eriol handed Kid a cup of tea. "There's nothing unusual in there," Eriol assured the thief, seeing him eye it suspiciously. Kid took a sip and reflected that while it wasn't bad, he definitely should have reconsidered coming to England. "And by all means," Eriol continued, "feel free to leave out anything that would compromise your identity."

"I suppose it started a little more than eight years ago," Kid said at last. "My predecessor, the first Kaitou Kid, was attempting to steal a certain item to keep it out of the hands of a crime syndicate. Unfortunately, the syndicate had him killed before he could find it. I picked up his search a short while ago at about the same time I donned the costume."

"Interesting." Eriol looked him over, measuring him up. "And what exactly are you looking for?"

"A stone called the Pandora Gem," Kid replied automatically. "It is said to possess the secret of eternal life and glow red in the light of the moon."

Eriol, who had just taken a sip of tea, choked violently. "Sorry about that," he apologized when he'd gotten himself under control. "Anyway, how did that lead you here precisely?"

"I've been tracking rumors mostly," Kid explained. "The ones that lead here were rather weak, but finding rumors at all is such a difficult task that I find it best not to overlook anything I _can_ find. In addition, I feel it's more of a risk not to investigate when it's a choice between me and the crime syndicate looking into it." Kid reached for a cookie and idly bit into it. _Not bad,_ he decided, and several more promptly disappeared. "I heard something about a sorcerer not aging, something about 'red' and 'moon', and that was enough information for me. To be fair, I had a difficult time figuring out whether that it really _was_ you who had it and not the Kinomoto family."

Eriol choked on his tea again, and this time Kaho leaned over to give his back a solid thump. He glanced at her gratefully. "Thank you." Eriol turned his attention back to the Kid. "I don't believe Ruby Moon is what you're looking for," he stated simply. He looked vaguely amused for some reason.

"I'd still like to take a look at it, if I may," Kid replied. Going all the way to England only to steal a few cookies seemed like a bit of a waste.

"I understand," Turning in his chair, Eriol pitched his voice to be heard throughout the house. "Nakuru! There's someone here to see you."

"There is?!" A rather flat-chested girl in her late teens bounded into the room, long brown hair flying around her face. Also flying by her face was a small black cat-like creature who, unlike Eriol, definitely did _not_ look amused.

"Kid-san," Eriol's expression was straining the word 'smile' and threatening to break into 'grin'. "May I introduce Akizuki Nakuru, also known as Ruby Moon?"

Kid groaned and buried his face in his hand. Eriol laughed and proceeded to tell a rather abbreviated version of his own story.

A few hours later Kid stood at the door with Kaho and Eriol. "Sorry we couldn't help you with what you're looking for," Kaho told him, smiling. "You'll find it before too long, though."

"Be sure to introduce yourself to the Kinomotos," Eriol advised him, "Sakura in particular. She may be able to help you. And do tell them we said hello."

"Will do," Kid replied. He reached for the door handle, then paused. "Before I go, could you tell me one last thing?"

Eriol's eyebrows went up. "I can try."

"You wouldn't happen to know someone named Koizumi Akako, would you?" Eriol didn't have tea to choke on this time, but substituted admirably with air. Kid eyed him with a small smile. "I'll take that as a 'yes…'"

Perhaps coming to England had been a good idea after all.

—Fin—

Notes: Kid's description of the Pandora Gem is paraphrased somewhat for greater impact. Originally it is said to cry tears of immortality and glow red in the light of the _full_ moon.

This fic is dedicated to Kenchan. When I needed a name for a famous gem for the Kid to steal and was asking around she suggested Ruby Moon, and it was so perfect and terrible I knew I had to write it something longer.

Extra special thanks to SummerCloud for the beta read.

Constructive Criticism is appreciated.

Disclaimer: Magic Kaito is by Aoyama Gosho and CardCaptor Sakrua is by CLAMP. I own neither, nor do I claim to own either, and neither am I making any money off of this fic.


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